Dental impression tray with impression material retainer

1. A dental impression tray comprising:

a trough for receiving dental impression material;

at least one retainer on at least a portion of an inner surface of the trough; and

at least one strand on at least a portion of a surface of the retainer, wherein each retainer comprises a plurality of anchoring elements, each of which comprises a first end, a second end, and an arc between the first and second ends, wherein the first and second ends of the anchoring elements are connected to the inner surface of the trough, and the arcs project from the inner surface of the trough.

2. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the side elevation shape of the anchoring elements is round, triangular or quadrangular.

3. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a cross section of the anchoring elements is round, triangular, quadrangular or star-shaped.

4. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cross section of the anchoring elements is elongate.

5. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each anchoring element is formed by a fiber that is connected at two sections to the inner surface of the trough.

6. The impression tray as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the fiber forms a closed arc.

7. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of anchoring elements is formed by a fiber that contains at least three sections that are connected to the inner surface of the trough.

8. The impression tray as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the fiber forms a coil.

9. The impression tray as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the fiber forms a wave.

10. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the anchoring elements are arranged at uniform distances next to one another and/or behind one another.

11. The impression tray as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the uniform distance between anchoring elements next to each other is about 0.01 to 0.3 mm.

12. The impression tray as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the uniform distance between anchoring elements situated behind each other is about 0.01 to 3 mm.

13. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the length of the arc of each anchoring element is about 0.01 to 10 mm.

14. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein for each anchoring element the ratio of its height H and a distance A separating its first and second ends is about 1 to 0.2.

15. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the anchoring elements are connected to the inner surface of the trough by adhesive bonding.

16. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the anchoring elements are connected to the inner surface of the trough by fusing.

17. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the anchoring elements are arranged on a base layer that is connected to the inner surface of the trough.

18. The impression tray as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the anchoring elements are connected to the base layer by adhesive bonding.

19. The impression tray as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the anchoring elements are connected to the base layer by fusing.

20. The impression tray as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the base layer is a continuous sheet.

21. The impression tray as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the base layer is a planar textile.

22. The impression tray as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the anchoring elements are connected to the base layer by connecting sections that extend into the planar textile base layer.

23. The impression tray as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the base layer is connected to the inner surface of the trough by adhesive bonding.

24. The impression tray as claimed in claim 23 , wherein the base layer is bonded to the inner surface of the trough with a double-sided adhesive tape.

25. The impression tray as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the base layer is connected to the inner surface of the trough by fusing.

26. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the anchoring elements comprise a thermoplastic material.

27. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the anchoring elements contain glass and/or carbon fibers.

28. The impression tray as claimed in claim 1 , wherein there are substantially no interconnections between the arcs of adjacent anchoring elements.

29. A dental impression tray comprising:

a trough for receiving dental impression material;

at least one dental impression material retainer on at least a portion of an inner surface of the trough; and

at least one strand on at least a portion of a surface of the retainer;

wherein the retainer comprises loop material of a hook and loop mechanical fastener; and

wherein the dental impression tray displays a maximum tensile force of at least 30 N when evaluated in a Retention Capacity Test without using a dental adhesive to bond the impression material to the retainer.

30. The impression tray as claimed in claim 29 , wherein the dental impression tray displays a maximum tensile force of at least 40 N, when evaluated in a Retention Capacity Test without using a dental adhesive to bond the impression material to the retainer.

31. A dental impression tray comprising:

a trough for receiving dental impression material;

at least one retainer on at least a portion of an inner surface of the trough; and

at least one strand on at least a portion of a surface of the retainer,

wherein the retainer comprises loop material of a hook and loop mechanical fastener, and

wherein each retainer comprises a plurality of anchoring elements, each of which comprises a first end, a second end, and an arc between the first and second ends, wherein the first and second ends of the anchoring elements are connected to the inner surface of the trough, and the arcs project from the inner surface of the trough.

32. The impression tray as claimed in claim 31 , wherein the loop material comprises a polymeric backing having a multiplicity of loops formed thereon or otherwise attached thereto.

33. The impression tray as claimed in claim 32 , wherein the retainer is adhesively bonded to the inner surface of the trough.

34. The impression tray as claimed in claim 33 , wherein the loops are formed of a polymeric material and are fused to the backing.

35. A method of retaining a hardened dental impression material in a trough of a dental impression tray, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a dental impression tray having a trough for receiving dental impression material, at least one retainer on at least a portion of an inner surface of the trough, and at least one strand on at least a portion of a surface of the retainer, wherein the retainer comprises loop material of a hook and loop mechanical fastener;

introducing a dental impression material into the trough of the dental impression tray; and

allowing the dental impression material to harden, whereby the retainer retains the hardened dental impression material in the tray during use of the tray.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the dental impression tray displays a maximum tensile force of at least 30 N when evaluated in a Retention Capacity Test without using a dental adhesive to bond the impression material to the retainer.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the dental impression tray displays a maximum tensile force of at least 40 N when evaluated in a Retention Capacity Test without using a dental adhesive to bond the impression material to the retainer.

38. A dental impression tray comprising:

a trough for receiving dental impression material;

at least one retainer on at least a portion of an inner surface of the trough; and

at least one strand on at least a portion of a surface of the retainer,

wherein the retainer comprises loop material of a hook and loop mechanical fastener.

39. The impression tray as claimed in claim 38 , wherein the dental impression tray displays a maximum tensile force of at least 30 N when evaluated in a Retention Capacity Test without using a dental adhesive to bond the impression material to the retainer.

40. The impression tray as claimed in claim 38 , wherein the retainer comprises a non-woven material.

41. The impression tray as claimed in claim 38 , wherein the strand prevents a tooth from contacting the retainer during use of the tray.

42. The impression tray as claimed in claim 38 , wherein the strand is arranged on a top surface of the retainer.

43. The impression tray as claimed in claim 38 , wherein the strand is continuous or discontinuous.

44. The impression tray as claimed in claim 38 , wherein the strand is straight or curved or zigzagged or bent or angled.

45. The impression tray as claimed in claim 38 , wherein a cross section of the strand is circular or oval.

46. The impression tray as claimed in claim 38 , wherein a cross section of the strand is flattened on the top surface.

47. The impression tray as claimed in claim 38 , wherein the strand is connected to a surface of the retainer.

48. The impression tray as claimed in claim 47 , wherein the strand is connected to the surface of the retainer by adhesive bonding.

49. The impression tray as claimed in claim 47 , wherein the strand is connected to the surface of the retainer by fusing.

50. The impression tray as claimed in claim 47 , wherein the retainer comprises a base layer that is connected to the inner surface of the trough, and wherein the strand is arranged on and connected to the base layer.

51. The impression tray as claimed in claim 50 , wherein the strand is connected to the base layer by adhesive bonding.

52. The impression tray as claimed in claim 50 , wherein the strand is connected to the base layer by fusing.

53. The impression tray as claimed in claim 50 , wherein the retainer is formed of a thermoplastic material and/or the strand is formed of a thermoplastic material.

54. The impression tray as claimed in claim 53 , wherein the strand is connected to the retainer by fusing.

55. The impression tray as claimed in claim 53 , wherein the strand is extruded onto the retainer.